French surgeon (1807–1873) best known for inventing the ‘Nelaton probe,’ used for locating bullets lodged deep inside tissue; such a probe was used to explore Abraham Lincoln’s wound on the night he was assassinated. Scarce original 2.5 x 4 carte-de-visite portrait of Nelaton by Ch. Reutlinger of Paris, signed and inscribed at the bottom of the image in black ink, “Dr. William Holcomb, souvenir affectueux, Nelaton.” In very good condition, with scattered toning and soiling affecting part of the signature, mild silvering to dark areas of the image, and a lightly trimmed top edge. RRAuction COA.
